Led light hood scoop for a jeep wrangler

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a method of installing a hood scoop to a designated recessed area of a hood of a Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon vehicle comprising: providing the hood scoop having a protective member and a hood attachment member having a first cable access feature wherein: edge profile of the hood attachment member matches edge profile of the designated recessed area; the designated recessed area includes a hood aperture that provides access to the vehicle&#39;s electrical power and control systems; attaching the attachment member to the designated recessed area using conventional attachment means; and attaching a light fixture to the hood scoop wherein the light fixture&#39;s cables pass through the first cable access feature and the hood aperture for communication with the vehicle&#39;s electrical power and control systems. The present invention also provides the hood scoop described herein.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to vehicle accessory field. Morespecifically, it relates to a hood scoop designed specifically to fitonto a Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon's hood wherein the hood scoop is used tohouse a light fixture such as a light emitting device (“LED”) light bar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The present invention will be more clearly understood when consideringthe accompanying drawing of which:

FIG. 1 shows a front prospective view of a hood scoop in accordance withthe principals of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the hood scoop shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a rear view of the hood scoop shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a top view of the hood scoop shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of the hood scoop shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the hood scoop shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 shows a front prospective view of a Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon'sfront hood;

FIG. 8 shows the hood scoop shown in FIG. 1 and another hood scoop thatis a mirror image of the hood scoop shown in FIG. 1 with each of thehood scoops housing one or more LED light fixture(s) and installedwithin a designated recessed area of the hood shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 shows a front view of a portion of the hood shown in FIG. 8installed with the hood scoop shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 shows a top view of the hood portion shown in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 shows a side view of the hood portion shown in FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, the present invention provides a hood scoop 100having a protective member 102 and a hood attachment member 104 whereinthe two members 102, 104 form a housing to contain and to protect one ormore light fixture(s) 106. The light fixture(s) 106 can be anyconventional light but is preferred to be one or more LED lights orlight bars. Referring to FIG. 5, the hood attachment member 104 includesa first cable access feature 108 (e.g., an aperture) that allows passageof the light fixture(s)' 106 wirings and/or cables to pass through thefirst cable access feature 110.

Referring to FIGS. 1-2, the hood scoop 100 may optionally furtherinclude a light attachment member 108 having a second cable accessfeature 112 (e.g., an aperture) that provides an additional oralternative attachment surface for the light fixture(s) 106 and allowingthe light fixture(s)' 106 wirings and/or cables to go through the secondcable access feature 112 (usually prior to the cables going through thefirst cable access feature 110).

The light fixture(s) 106 can be attached to any or all of the members102, 104, 108 via conventional attachment means (not shown) such asadhesive, Velcro, attachment clips, nuts and bolts, etc. It should benoted that each of these members (102, 104, 108) could be constructed ofa single piece of material (e.g., a piece of metal or molded plastic) ora combination of multiple pieces of material(s).

Referring to FIGS. 7-8, the hood scoop 100 is specifically designed tofit onto a designated recessed area (10, 12) of a hood 14 of a Jeep®Wrangler Rubicon vehicle. See also https://www.jeep.com/wrangler.htmlThe hood 14 includes two of the designated recessed areas (10, 12). Eachof the designated recessed areas (10, 12) has an edge profile that is amirror image of each other as shown in FIG. 7. Furthermore, each of thedesignated recessed areas (10, 12) includes a hood aperture (16, 18)that provides access to the vehicle's electrical power and controlsystems. It is optionally that each of the hood apertures (16, 18) hasan edge profile that is a mirror image of each other as shown in FIG. 7.“Edge profile” is defined herein as the outline (e.g., exterior shape)of the designated component. It is preferred that the edge profile 114of the hood attachment member 104 matches the edge profile 20 of one ofthe designated recessed areas (10 or 12).

Furthermore, the hood attachment member 104 may optionally includeconventional bolt-on clamps 118 having drill holes for bolts or screws116 as shown in FIG. 6 that can be used to attach the hood attachmentmember 104 and the hood scoop 100 to the hood 10. Alternatively, thehood attachment member 104 can be attached to the hood 10 without thebolt-on clamps 118 but instead via other conventional attachment meanssuch as adhesives (e.g., glue, double-sided tape, or the like) orfasteners such as screws, nuts and bolts, retainer clips, etc.

The design of the hood scoop 100 allows the cables of the lightfixture(s) 106 to pass through the first cable access feature, theoptional second cable access feature, and the hood aperture (16 or 18)in order to communicate with the vehicle's electrical power and controlsystems.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4 and 8-11, it is preferred that the protectivemember 102 is configured and/or shaped to have minimal impact on theaerodynamics of the vehicle.

The above-described components of the hood scoop 100 may be constructedout of any suitable art-disclosed material. Examples of such materialare plastic (e.g., acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (“ABS”),polycarbonate, and other polymeric material; metal such as steelincluding but are not limited to stainless steel, cold rolled steel,mild steel, high strength steel, tempered steel, aluminum, and othermetal alloys; fiberglass; and carbon fiber. The thickness of eachindividual component may vary. Examples of suitable thickness are in therange from about 1/16″ to about ½″ and from about 1 mm to about 6 mm.The exact size and shape of the hood scoop 100 are partially dependentupon the configuration of each of the designated recessed areas (10,12).

Unless stated otherwise, dimensions and geometries of the variousstructures depicted herein are not intended to be restrictive of theinvention, and other dimensions or geometries are possible. Pluralstructural components can be provided by a single integrated structure.Alternatively, a single integrated structure might be divided intoseparate plural components. In addition, while a feature of the presentinvention may have been described in the context of only one of theillustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or moreother features of other embodiments, for any given application. It willalso be appreciated from the above that the fabrication of the uniquestructures herein and the operation thereof also constitute methods inaccordance with the present invention.

The present invention further provides a method 200 to install the hoodscoop 100 to the designated recessed area (10 or 12) of the hood 14 of aJeep° Wrangler Rubicon vehicle comprising providing the hood scoop 100having the protective member 102 and the hood attachment member 104;attaching the hood attachment member 104 to the designated recessed area(10 or 12) using conventional attachment means; and attaching the lightfixture(s) 106 to the hood scoop 100 wherein the light fixture(s)' 106cables pass through the first cable access feature 110, optionally thesecond cable access feature 112, and the hood aperture (16 or 18) forcommunication with the vehicle's electrical power and control systems.The method 200 further includes installation of a second hood scoop 100to the other designated recessed area (10 or 12).

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A method of installing a hood scoop to a designatedrecessed area as shown in FIG. 7 of a hood of a vehicle comprising: (a)providing the hood scoop having a protective member and a hoodattachment member having a first cable access feature wherein: (i) edgeprofile of the attachment member matches edge profile of the designatedrecessed area as shown in FIG. 7; and (ii) the designated recessed areaas shown in FIG. 7 includes a hood aperture that provides access to thevehicle's electrical power and control systems; (b) attaching the hoodattachment member to the designated recessed area as shown in FIG. 7using conventional attachment means; and (c) attaching a light fixtureto the hood scoop wherein the light fixture's cables pass through thefirst cable access feature and the hood aperture for communication withthe vehicle's electrical power and control systems.
 22. The method ofclaim 21 wherein the hood scoop further includes a light attachmentmember having a second cable access feature, the one light fixture isattached to the light attachment member, and the light fixture's cablesare also routed through the second cable access feature.
 23. The methodof claim 21 wherein the light fixture is a LED light bar.
 24. The methodof claim 21 wherein one or more additional light fixtures are alsoattached to the hood scoop.
 25. The method of claim 21 wherein theconventional attachment means are bolt-on clamps.
 26. The method ofclaim 21 wherein the conventional attachment means are adhesive.
 27. Themethod of claim 21 further comprising: (d) providing a second hood scoophaving a second protective member and a second hood attachment memberhaving the first cable access feature wherein: (i) edge profile of thesecond attachment member matches edge profile of a second designatedrecessed area as shown in FIG. 7 of the hood of the vehicle; and (ii)the second designated recessed area as shown in FIG. 7 includes a secondhood aperture that provides access to the vehicle's electrical power andcontrol systems; (e) attaching the second attachment member to thesecond designated recessed area as shown in FIG. 7 using theconventional attachment means; and (f) attaching a second light fixtureto the second hood scoop wherein the second light fixture's cables passthrough the first cable access feature of the second hood attachmentmember and the second hood aperture for communication with the vehicle'selectrical power and control systems.
 28. The method of claim 27 whereinthe hood scoop and the second hood scoop each further includes a lightattachment member having a second cable access feature, and each of thelight fixture and the second light fixture is attached to the lightattachment member and the cables pass through the second cable accessfeature.
 29. The method of claim 28 wherein additional LED lightfixtures are also attached to each of the hood scoop and the second hoodscoop.
 30. A method of installing hood scoops onto a hood of a Jeepvehicle comprising: (a) providing a hood scoop having a protectivemember and a hood attachment member having a first cable access featurewherein: (i) edge profile of the attachment member matches edge profileof a first designated recessed area of the hood of the Jeep vehicle; and(ii) the first designated recessed area includes a hood aperture thatprovides access to the vehicle's electrical power and control systems;(b) attaching the attachment member to the first designated recessedarea using conventional attachment means; (c) attaching a light fixtureto the hood scoop wherein the light fixture's cables pass through thefirst cable access feature and the hood aperture for communication withthe vehicle's electrical power and control systems; (d) providing asecond hood scoop having a second protective member and a second hoodattachment member having the first cable access feature wherein: (i)edge profile of the second attachment member matches edge profile of asecond designated recessed area of the hood of the Jeep vehicle; and(ii) the second designated recessed area includes a second hood aperturethat provides access to the vehicle's electrical power and controlsystems; (e) attaching the second attachment member to the seconddesignated recessed area using the conventional attachment means; and(f) attaching a second light fixture to the second hood scoop whereinthe second light fixture's cables pass through the first cable accessfeature of the second hood attachment member and the second hoodaperture for communication with the vehicle's electrical power andcontrol systems.
 31. The method of claim 30 wherein the light fixtureand the second light fixture are LED light bars.
 32. The method of claim30 wherein one or more additional light fixtures are also attached toeach of the hood scoop and the second hood scoop.
 33. A LED hood scoopfor attachment to a designated recessed area of a hood of a Jeep vehiclecomprising: a protective member, a hood attachment member having a firstcable access feature, a light attachment member having a second cableaccess feature wherein: (a) edge profile of the attachment membermatches edge profile of the designated recessed area of the hood of theJeep Wrangler Rubicon vehicle; (b) the designated recessed area includesa hood aperture that provides access to the vehicle's electrical powerand control systems; and (c) the LED hood scoop is configured to acceptand to house a LED light fixture, the LED light fixture is attached tothe LED hood scoop, and cables of the LED light fixture pass through thesecond cable access feature and the first cable access feature.
 34. TheLED hood scoop of claim 33 wherein the LED hood scoop is configured toaccept and to house multiple LED light fixtures and the LED lightfixtures' cables pass through the second cable access feature and thefirst cable access feature.
 35. The LED hood scoop of claim 33 whereinthe protective member, the hood attachment member, and the lightattachment member are constructed out of mild steel.
 36. The LED hoodscoop of claim 33 wherein the hood attachment member further includesbolt-on clamps configured for attachment to the hood.
 37. A LED hoodscoop for attachment to a designated recessed area as shown in FIG. 7 ofa hood of a vehicle comprising: a protective member, a hood attachmentmember having a first cable access feature, a light attachment memberhaving a second cable access feature wherein: (d) edge profile of theattachment member matches edge profile of the designated recessed areaas shown in FIG. 7; (e) the designated recessed area as shown in FIG. 7includes a hood aperture that provides access to the vehicle'selectrical power and control systems; and (f) the LED hood scoop isconfigured to accept and to house a LED light fixture, the LED lightfixture is attached to the LED hood scoop, and cables of the LED lightfixture pass through the second cable access feature and the first cableaccess feature.
 38. The LED hood scoop of claim 37 wherein the LED hoodscoop is configured to accept and to house multiple LED light fixturesand the LED light fixtures' cables pass through the second cable accessfeature and the first cable access feature.
 39. The LED hood scoop ofclaim 37 wherein the protective member, the hood attachment member, andthe light attachment member are constructed out of mild steel.
 40. TheLED hood scoop of claim 37 wherein the hood attachment member furtherincludes bolt-on clamps configured for attachment to the hood.